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One Week with the 2018 MacBook Pro

Leo has had the new MacBook Pro for a few days. He got a six core i9 processor, and frankly, it's not much different from the previous model. Apple didn't really change it much, except for a redesigned keyboard that has a silicone shield that can keep crumbs and dust out, which could render the keyboard inoperable. The downside is that it will be very difficult to repair, a $700 fix without Apple Care. Leo does say that the silicone barrier also makes the keys quieter and cushier.

Apple is getting some complaints that the laptop runs too hot. The processor is designed, however, to speed up and slow down. So it can run from 2.9 Ghz to 4.2 Ghz when needed. The thing is that processors have run into the end of Moore's Law, which keeps the processors from getting faster beyond 4 Ghz. Intel gets around that by adding multiple processors to the chip. So an i9 chip has six cores, and it generates a lot of heat. So people are concerned that they won't get maximum performance because there isn't enough cooling in the laptop. And Apple isn't the only manufacturer that has to contend with this issue.

Leo says, however, that his own experience shows that the MacBook always stayed above its minimum speed, and it remains very fast. But when he does a sustained, high performance task, like rendering a 360 video, the heat begins to climb and the processor throttles down. So Leo has seen what people are complaining about. The fans just aren't powerful enough to keep the processors cool while running at full power. Leo says that for what he needs it for, it does exactly what it should. If you need it for 'bursts' of speed, and you don't need to tax the processor for a long period of time, it's very fast and very capable.